My latest on a collage has gone through many revisions. Not my flower girl herself, but the collage background.

There have been many, many discussions in the workshop I am currently taking, about copyrights as they apply to collage artists, and I must admit, it made me so very nervous about using collage as a background. Legal stuff…

So, although I absolutely loved my original…I was not comfortable about some of the collage elements and the whole copyright thing…there was even mention of not being able to use scrap booking papers, ephemera, stamps, etc. if you are planning to sell your work…aargh!

I was really bummed, cause I really thought collage might be my “niche”…ah well…Apparently it’s ok to use items like ephemera, letters, music, etc., from before 1922. Will have to research further…

My first ever watercolor face…definitely a complicated medium. Seems less forgiving than acrylics…I would think the shading was looking good and then I would add to it and BAM! I would totally ruin it! Wet paper + inexperience with a new medium= scary! So glad to have tackled this. Didn’t have all the suggested supplies, but didn’t want to wait for my Amazon order…learned a lot, with a whole lot more learning to go.

I stood in my studio(that I used to call my craft room)after finishing the above piece…looking at my drawings & paintings from the last six weeks…this is CRAZY! Crazy & Wonderful & Exciting to realize that my forever dream is actually coming true…You know that feeling when you look at something grand (at least to you) that you have achieved and all you can do is stare in surprise, wonder and amazement? Yeah, that’s where I’m at…Happy & Enjoying the Journey!

Like this:

Yes! I did it! I finally got to that golden utopia of retirement…and I am loving it!

I spent the first six months adjusting to the new non-schedule. I have to say, I never found this to be difficult nor boring. I have been looking forward to this for so long, with so many endeavors planned, that it has been pretty easy and definitely painless.

Since I retired in July, I spent the summer and fall enjoying the great outdoors, grandkids, friends, and holidays. Trips to Lake Powell, kayaking adventures, helping with grandkids occasionally, hiking and porch sitting took up the summer. Next came all the holidays and family fun!

Now it is February and I have embarked on my most anticipated and treasured journey. I have re-ignited my creative dreams of being an artist…not a florist or a crafter, not an amateur photographer…but an honest to goodness artist. The journey has begun…

I am taking an online Mixed Media workshop titled, Let’s Face it, which is a fabulous year long workshop with an emphasis on portraits/faces. The workshop includes lessons by a total of 17 Artists, so we get to see, experience, and learn lots of different styles and techniques. A new lesson with video instructions arrives in my inbox each week. There is also a private Facebook group that we all (520+ artists strong from all over the world) share our work and receive support and kudos from. It is AMAZING and I am so impressed by the wonderful artists I get to be a part of.

Drawing faces is my long time passion…I have been drawing faces since I was a young girl. I would go to BINGO with my mom…she would doodle all these women profiles and I was enthralled! So I copied her style, learned by watching her, and would spend the hours at BINGO happily drawing away!

I believe this will be one of my greatest adventures. I am already learning SO much and we are only 5 weeks in!